Parts of UK could be hotter than Athens on Thursday amid week of sunny weather
Parts of the UK could be hotter than Athens this week as temperatures continue to rise amid a week of dry and sunny weather.
Temperatures will climb gradually this week and could peak at 21C on Thursday in the south of England, the Met Office said.
South Wales and Somerset could reach 20C and may be hotter than Athens and Barcelona on Thursday, where highs of 17C and 16C are forecast respectively.
While some rain and cloudiness hit Northern Ireland and north-west Scotland on Monday morning, the weather is generally expected to remain dry and sunny across the country throughout the rest of the week and into the weekend.
'It is a fine dry and sunny day for many through the day on Monday, with temperatures well above average for the time of year and that theme is set to continue for much of the week,' Met Office spokesman Stephen Dixon said.
'There will be a settled period for the UK's weather and temperatures will possibly get as high as 21C on Thursday.'
Mr Dixon said high pressure is set to be near or over the UK in the coming week and into the weekend, leading to warm and dry conditions.
He said: 'On Tuesday morning there will be the start of some low cloud in some parts of the Midlands and central England but will clear up quite quickly.
'Through the middle of the week it will be a touch breezier in the South West, but it will still feel much warmer than average.'
'On Friday and Saturday we are likely to see a touch of fog in eastern Scotland and north-east England which will subdue temperatures in these areas,' Mr Dixon added.
Although temperatures are likely to gradually drop on Saturday, they will still hover around the mid-teens and are likely to be higher than the average maximum temperature of 12C for the UK in April, forecasters said.
The warm weather still falls some way short of the record high in April of 29.4C, which was recorded Camden Square, London, in 1949, Met Office records show.
Beachgoers were out in their droves during the mild weekend on the south coast, providing a boost for seasonal businesses.
Katy Alston, who has been in the ice cream trade for more than 20 years and runs Pinks Parlour near the beach in Bognor Regis, West Sussex, told the PA news agency business was booming at the weekend.
'It's been absolutely wonderful,' 57-year-old Ms Alston said.
'Everything has been so tough and this weekend it's like we have seen light again.'
She said the mild weather was 'perfect timing' with Mother's Day on Sunday.
The Met Office said the dry weather is likely to persist into the weekend and early next week, though there is less certainty when forecasting much further into April.
'We are really excited and feeling really positive (about the forecast),' Ms Alston added.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Wales Online
6 hours ago
- Wales Online
UK on health alert as North Wales sizzles in 29C with signs of second heatwave next week
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Yellow heat health alerts have been issued with exceptionally hot conditions due to settle over the UK. While the heat is expected to ebb away from Sunday, June 22, some weather models suggest a re-run the following week. At one point, the GFS system was projecting temperatures up 35C near the Wales-England border at the turn of the month, with highs of 33C in parts of Wales. Had this materialised, a weather extreme set 132 years ago might have been threatened in Wales. This modelled forecast has since been scaled back – but 6pm temperatures of 31-32C are still projected for large areas of eastern England on Friday, June 27. If this plume of warm air is drawn in from the Continent, it could leave Wales basking in another spell of hot weather, especially on the North Wales coast. This model run indicates a four-day blast of heat running from Thursday to Sunday, June 26-29. Like this week's heatwave, the deja vu forecast for next week suggests cooler conditions heading into July. Before you make plans, it should be stressed this is just one model run that lies at the edge of what's possible. Other simulations don't project this far ahead, or paint a slightly different picture. The North Wales Live Whatsapp community for top stories and breaking news is live now - here's how to sign up The Met Office currently believes that, next week, the mercury will be 'near to or above normal'. At this point, it's highly unlikely the June temperature record for Wales will be at risk – it stands at 33.7C, set in Machynlleth, Powys, on June 18, 1893. (Image: WXCharts) Yet some forecasters are wondering if England's June record could be threatened later this week. The Met Office doesn't think so - its currently predicting a possible high of 33C - not enough to beat the June record of 35.6C set in Southampton during the long heatwave of summer 1976. So far the warmest day of the year was 29.4C on June 13, recorded at Santon Downham, Suffolk. Others suspect weekend temperatures could come close, thanks to the kind of atmospheric conditions 'rarely' seen in the UK in June. Some online forecasters suggest some areas of England may see peaks of 34-35C and 'potentially even higher on Sunday'. In England, the Met Office said there is a 'small chance' temperatures could approach mid-30C in some places. It added: 'Heatwave thresholds may continue to be exceeded across parts of the UK at first. Temperatures overnight will also be very warm and perhaps humid for much of the UK.' (Image: WXCharts) Already, yellow heat health alerts have been issued for most of England, including the West Midlands but not the North West. These come into force at 12pm on Wednesday and last until 6pm on Sunday. The heat will extend to Wales, with Wrexham currently predicted to hit 27C on Thursday (June 19), and 29C on Friday (June 20). Friday is also forecast to bring temperatures of 29C in Welshpool. Elsewhere it could hit 28C in St Asaph and Ruthin, and 27C in most other parts of North Wales. Temperatures in northern Anglesey is expected to be a little lower. Saturday is expected to be slightly cooler with the chance of rain on the Eryri mountains. More stepdowns are forecasted for Sunday and Monday, though there are a few signs the heat may linger into the start of next week. This uncertainty is reflected on some model runs, one of which is forecasting 28C in Llandudno on Sunday. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox For the most part, this week is forecasted to stay dry – though northwest Wales has seen some rain today (Tuesday, March 17). When it comes to next week, the jury is still out: the Met Office says there are 'signs' rain and showers may move in from the west. Some models indicate these could be heavy, other suggest only a few drops. With some signs of more heat to come later next week, it opens up the possibility of a similar scenario playing out all over again. Find the weather forecast where you live
North Wales Live
8 hours ago
- North Wales Live
UK on health alert as North Wales sizzles in 29C with signs of second heatwave next week
Yellow heat health alerts have been issued with exceptionally hot conditions due to settle over the UK. While the heat is expected to ebb away from Sunday, June 22, some weather models suggest a re-run the following week. At one point, the GFS system was projecting temperatures up 35C near the Wales-England border at the turn of the month, with highs of 33C in parts of Wales. Had this materialised, a weather extreme set 132 years ago might have been threatened in Wales. This modelled forecast has since been scaled back – but 6pm temperatures of 31-32C are still projected for large areas of eastern England on Friday, June 27. If this plume of warm air is drawn in from the Continent, it could leave Wales basking in another spell of hot weather, especially on the North Wales coast. This model run indicates a four-day blast of heat running from Thursday to Sunday, June 26-29. Like this week's heatwave, the deja vu forecast for next week suggests cooler conditions heading into July. Before you make plans, it should be stressed this is just one model run that lies at the edge of what's possible. Other simulations don't project this far ahead, or paint a slightly different picture. The Met Office currently believes that, next week, the mercury will be 'near to or above normal'. At this point, it's highly unlikely the June temperature record for Wales will be at risk – it stands at 33.7C, set in Machynlleth, Powys, on June 18, 1893. Yet some forecasters are wondering if England's June record could be threatened later this week. The Met Office doesn't think so - its currently predicting a possible high of 33C - not enough to beat the June record of 35.6C set in Southampton during the long heatwave of summer 1976. So far the warmest day of the year was 29.4C on June 13, recorded at Santon Downham, Suffolk. Others suspect weekend temperatures could come close, thanks to the kind of atmospheric conditions 'rarely' seen in the UK in June. Some online forecasters suggest some areas of England may see peaks of 34-35C and 'potentially even higher on Sunday'. In England, the Met Office said there is a 'small chance' temperatures could approach mid-30C in some places. It added: 'Heatwave thresholds may continue to be exceeded across parts of the UK at first. Temperatures overnight will also be very warm and perhaps humid for much of the UK.' Already, yellow heat health alerts have been issued for most of England, including the West Midlands but not the North West. These come into force at 12pm on Wednesday and last until 6pm on Sunday. The heat will extend to Wales, with Wrexham currently predicted to hit 27C on Thursday (June 19), and 29C on Friday (June 20). Friday is also forecast to bring temperatures of 29C in Welshpool. Elsewhere it could hit 28C in St Asaph and Ruthin, and 27C in most other parts of North Wales. Temperatures in northern Anglesey is expected to be a little lower. Saturday is expected to be slightly cooler with the chance of rain on the Eryri mountains. More stepdowns are forecasted for Sunday and Monday, though there are a few signs the heat may linger into the start of next week. This uncertainty is reflected on some model runs, one of which is forecasting 28C in Llandudno on Sunday. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox For the most part, this week is forecasted to stay dry – though northwest Wales has seen some rain today (Tuesday, March 17). When it comes to next week, the jury is still out: the Met Office says there are 'signs' rain and showers may move in from the west. Some models indicate these could be heavy, other suggest only a few drops. With some signs of more heat to come later next week, it opens up the possibility of a similar scenario playing out all over again.
South Wales Guardian
10 hours ago
- South Wales Guardian
Temperatures could reach 33C this weekend as heatwave set to hit parts of UK
Forecasters are expecting temperatures to climb to a peak of 33C on Sunday in the east of England, approaching the highest ever temperature recorded in June – 35.6C in 1976. And yellow heat-health alerts have been issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) for most of England from midday on Wednesday until 6pm on Sunday. The alerts, which means there could be an increased use of healthcare services by vulnerable people, cover Yorkshire and the Humber, the East Midlands, West Midlands, east of England, London, the South East and South West. An official heatwave is recorded when areas reach a certain temperature for three consecutive days, with thresholds varying from 25C to 28C in different parts of the UK. Temperatures are predicted to reach 27C on Tuesday and Wednesday, 29C on Thursday, 30C by Friday, then 32C on Saturday and peak at 33C on Sunday, the Met Office said. Will any temperature records be broken this week? 🌡️ Here's our Deputy Chief Meteorologist Dan Holley: "Today and tomorrow, we could see a maximum temperatures of 27°C in the south of England, and 29°C on Thursday. "The trend for temperatures to rise continues into Friday,… — Met Office (@metoffice) June 17, 2025 And some thundery showers could be seen across the far west on Friday night into Saturday. Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Dan Holley said: 'Heat is the main story this week, with high pressure building and temperatures rising to heatwave levels in some areas by the weekend. 'Today and tomorrow, we could see maximum temperatures of 27C in the south of England, and 29C on Thursday. 'The trend for temperatures to rise continues into Friday, with a maximum of 30C in central England. With the hot temperatures, we could also see some thundery showers across the far west Friday night into Saturday. 'Widespread very warm conditions are expected on Saturday, with a top temperature of 32C. Sunday looks to see the peak of the very warm spell, with a headline max of 33C possible. This is most likely to be in the east of England, with other areas seeing temperatures into the high 20s to low 30 Celsius. Warm, and perhaps even 'tropical nights' will also be a feature this week. 'At present, the highest temperature ever recorded in June was 35.6C in Southampton in 1976. The warmest day of the year so far was 29.4C on June 13, recorded at Santon Downham in Suffolk. 'High pressure is expected to move away from the UK into early next week resulting in temperatures falling. However, there is uncertainty in how quickly this happens, and the peak temperatures experienced across the UK.' The hotter weather is a 'welcome lift' for the hospitality sector, Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, said. She said: 'This spell of warm weather will no doubt be a welcome lift for hospitality venues up and down the country, as people look to eat, drink and socialise outdoors. 'Businesses will now be hoping for a strong summer to help counterbalance the significant cost pressures they're contending with. Rain or shine, I'd encourage everyone to get out and support their local hospitality businesses.' Katy Alston, who has been in the ice cream trade for more than 20 years and runs Pinks Parlour near the beach in Bognor Regis, West Sussex, said this week's weather will be 'the difference between night and day' for her business. She said: 'We get so excited because this is what we wait for. 'People who work in ice cream vans are risk takers because you never know when that big yellow ball is going to come out.' Ms Alston said on Tuesday morning she had 84 inquiries from businesses wanting an ice cream van to visit, which is more than the last month. 'We want to go to as many people as we can,' she said. 'We're now making gelato around the clock, as fast as we're making it, we're selling it. 'It's our Christmas time.' Meanwhile, the London Fire Brigade has issued a warning over wildfires before the prolonged spell of hot weather and following one of the driest springs on record. London Fire Brigade Assistant Commissioner Pam Oparaocha said: 'For many people, this week will feel like the start of summer with temperatures rising, especially as the sunny weather is expected to continue into the weekend and beyond. 'With hot weather comes the temptation to host BBQs or to head out to one of London's many open spaces to enjoy the sunshine. However, it is important to make sure you are doing so safely. We've had the driest spring in over a century, and the result is a heightened risk of grass fires, while the dry weather also means that fires can spread more easily. 'If you're out in the park or at an open space, please don't take a disposable BBQ with you, make sure that smoking materials are discarded of properly and either dispose of your rubbish in the appropriate bins or take it home with you if none are available. If you're having a BBQ at home, avoid doing so on a balcony and ensure your BBQ is away from flammable materials like fences and sheds. You should also avoid having your BBQ on any decking you may have in your garden. 'We're also urging landowners and local authorities to take action now by creating fire breaks to protect communities from wildfires this summer. This includes cutting back or ploughing grass, especially where it lies close to properties. These fire breaks can help slow down the spread of fire, as well as protecting people and their properties.' The Alzheimer's Society is urging people to check in on friends and family living with dementia to make sure they stay safe during the hot weather. Angelo Makri, senior knowledge officer for wellbeing at Alzheimer's Society, said: 'People should absolutely enjoy the nice weather we're having. However, it's important to note that high temperatures can lead to severe health problems for people with dementia unless they take precautions to keep cool and well-hydrated.'
